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Trial moves
to Baldwin County
By Marty Roney
Montgomery Advertiser
A Prattville man whose name has been tied to the
Shannon Paulk case will have his day in court in Baldwin County on
unrelated sex charges.
Circuit Judge Sibley Reynolds granted a change of venue in the case of Ty
Foster, 42. The trial is scheduled for Oct. 6-8.
Foster is a former resident of Candlestick Park, the mobile home community
where Shannon lived. Cliff Davis, owner of the park, had Foster evicted
from the property. Foster moved out Monday.
Shannon, 11, disappeared from the neighborhood in August 2001. Her body
was discovered about six months later in a public hunting area about 15
miles north of Prattville. Law enforcement officials have questioned
Foster in the case, but no charges have been filed. Foster has been
indicted on nine counts of sodomy involving juveniles.
"Due to the high-profile nature of the Shannon Paulk case, I felt it was
prudent to grant the change of venue," Reynolds said. "I just don't think
there's anywhere in central Alabama that wasn't impacted by the media
coverage of the case."
Reynolds said Baldwin County has similar demographics to Autauga County,
which made the county a good choice.
Davis said he had Foster evicted because of the attention generated by the
sodomy charges and the fact his name was mentioned as a suspect in the
Shannon case. Davis declined to comment specifically about the eviction,
other than to say he felt it was necessary for the good of the community.
Foster's attorney, Chip Cleveland of Prattville, was pleased with the
judge's decision.
"Ty Foster is innocent until proven guilty," Cleveland said. "It's my job
to make sure he gets a fair trial. Trying the case in Autauga County, or
any county in this area, would have threatened his constitutional right to
a fair trial. I wouldn't want to run the risk of him being convicted in
this case because of his association with the Shannon Paulk case. He has
never been charged in the Shannon Paulk case."
No one has been arrested or charged in the girl's death, a case which
garnered intense media attention.
The case went nationwide when a segment about her disappearance was
broadcast on an episode of "America's Most Wanted."
The case still is active and is being investigated by the Prattville
Police Department, Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, Prattville
Police Chief Alfred Wadsworth said.
District Attorney Randall Houston fought moving the trial to Baldwin
County. Houston felt Shelby or Chilton counties would have been
sufficient, since those counties are in the Birmingham television market.
"If the judge says go to Baldwin County, we go to Baldwin County," Houston
said. "My concern was the expense of having to move all our witnesses and
attorneys to Baldwin County for three to four days. But we feel we have
strong evidence in the case, and that we can gain a conviction in Bay
Minette, Prattville or Clanton."
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